Robert Stuart

@reini, @Corsairfoxfouruncle, welcome aboard. Yes, common nicknames would be OK - I had to double-check to see the official title (Fighting Falcon).

{edit} If you'd like to build something venomous in 2024, have a look at the All Creatures Great and Small GB {/edit} A build for any vehicle or unit that has a connection to a venomous animal (or plant), either directly in its name, or through the unit badge. What kind of thing? Black Widow Northrop P-61 Cobra Bell AH-1 (or successor Cobras), 92 Squadron RAF Hornet DeHavilland Hornet, F/A 18, US Navy ship (choice of eight ships?), 213 Squadron RAF Wasp Westland Wasp, USS Wasp (choice of ten ships?) Triumph Spider Scorpion tank The Spiders from Mars - if you can find a suitable kit! Aconite HMS Aconite {edit} Vespa (wasp: scooter) Yes, common nicknames will be fine {/edit} I'd also accept a DH Venom, it isn't an animal as such, but, the name fits. What Ifs, SciFi and games? OK, provided there is documentation. Thinking AM-9 Sidewinder missile. I wouldn't stop you if you want to build a single 1/48 sidewinder missile (other scales exist), but... A big No! to just any aircraft that could carry the weapon. What do you think? {edit} We are not limited to English language, a Vespa scooter would be very acceptable (think Italeri offer a kit?). {/edit} Signed up Robert Stuart reini Corsairfoxfouruncle Answil Toryu TEMPESTMK5 RobG zebra Chrisj2003 thepolasticsurgeon CliffB ModelingEdmonton DaveJL Wings unlevel Marklo Redstaff stevehnz 81-er Karearea

Think I can build one kit in this GB, but I have a choice: I'm rather taken with John Masters' "whole lota jeep" build in the Scouting GB. This is similar plastic: " The trailer was raided for another build, but the Jeep and figures are still present. I've already mentioned my Loyd Carrier: Or, changing brands, I could go build a Universal Carrier (aka Bren Carrier, or Bren Gun Carrier). In real life, the Loyd Carrier used components from the Universal Carrier; together, these would make an interesting comparison... ... but, I don't build fast enough to go for two builds (let alone three). Decisions ...

Youtube doesn't often offer me Lindybeige's videos - maybe 'cause they are targeted at a lighter audience, but, I found this one amusing:

Ships look like display pieces when full hull, but can come alive with a good sea base. The worst is waterline with no supporting base. Writing as somebody who has made a sea-base for a flying boat (Walrus), but never completed a ship model.

A nice start John, that looks complex.

Good to see AFV here, and such an unusual subject. Going to watch with interest.

I can stop frightening Col.; I'm home! That turret, with holes drilled. In the background, you can also see some photo etch that Airfix included with the kit, glued in place. This, pretty much, commits me to a spring 1945 version of the tank. Yes, I could fill the side holes and go for a summer '44 version, but ... Big H are, I believe, packing some appropriate decals as I write. One concern I have with this kit is the top plate with the turret ring; it bends when pushing the turret on. While the top plate is detached from the model, the turret can be squeezed into place. This option will go away when the plate is glued down. I've added some sprue stiffeners to take the pressure. If they don't work, I'll ease the hole. (Feel sure that could be said better.) Other progress First priming coats are on! That turret again! This time with one of the panniers(?) that will cast a shadow over that space.

Hope to be back by tomorrow 🤞, that's not entirely in my control.

Looks interesting, John, especially as I have another of Bronco's Jeeps. You wouldn't happen to have an egg to go with your sausage 'n' chips?

A little progress on the turret. Here, I disagree with Airfix's instructions. Airfix would have us glue the turret back and sides to the base, then drop in the turret top. I'll reverse this sequence, cluing the sides to the top, making sure the base aligns, gluing the base last. The front sides need drilling before gluing. Well, my drill is ~120 miles away as I write, so they, along with the rest of the build, will have to wait until I can close that distance to ~120 millimetres, or less.

Oh, good to see another wheelie thing, that kit looks complex. GL

Thanks Col. I hope the flexible tracks will be ok, they should be 3D printed. so not Friulmodel. More progress today, been working on the upper hull. Dry fitted: The kit so far has been a dream, quick to build with a very nice fit. I see enough different spare parts on the sprues that suggest Airfix have great plans for the future of this chassis

Thanks guys. @SoftScience, think you'll have to open the box, or buy from a busy supplier and 🤞. I made a last minute decision; the kit comes with a choice of vinyl tracks (at least, flexible tracks) or link-and-length. The link-and length would be an acceptable, if painful, option. The vinyl? Not my favourite type of track. In the small hours of Saturday morning, I ordered some flexible link tracks. That'll scupper my hopes of finishing this before the TLC GB, but, hopefully, will give me something I'll be happy to use. The build, has started: The destructions have 24 stages, this takes us to stage 5. You may note the suspension looks odd? This is because, like most manufacturers, Airfix offer fixed or locked suspension arms, suited to display on a flat table. I prefer to have some flexibility when positioning wheels, so I've removed seven of the ten locking pins. The remaining three will help when gauging ride height later.

This question cropped up in the recent armoured car build, I replied: Enzo clarified

Can you swap your gallery photos? That is something I hadn't thought about. That would involve editing your post? Give it a go, see what happens; I won't stop you. There might be a block because the gallery is locked. I'll give @Enzo the Magnificent a shout, in case there is something I hadn't considered.

A good start; there is some nice animation in those horses.

Thanks, Col. I'm surprised there are so few non-aero builds here; a Yankee Scout and Tracker and a Cromwell so far. There are so many other options ... armoured cars (OK, we just had an A/C GB), and light tanks for the armour guys; what about a picket ship or an escort destroyer for the navy boys (& gals)?

OoKay. This is a bit different -never heard of the lit manufacturer, and don't really know the inter-war ship aircraft except for their looks - pretty sure the design committees were responsible for the camel. Will watch with interest

Just stumbled across this video:

Really a question for the future, but, but I'll ask it now ... Will the forum software support any of the newer image formats? I'm thinking about WebP and AVIF. I self-host most of my photos, so may need to set up options to for browsers that do not support these formats.

Yes, I only learned it recently. The vehicle was given to several British cavalry regiments, most of whom* were tasked with reconnaissance, as were the Welsh Guards and, presumably, the 6th Airborne Reconnaissance regiment. *I'm uncertain of the Inniskilling Dragoon Guards's formal role by the time the got Cromwells.

Further evidence of my poor proofreading 23 + 16 -> 39, not 49 That should have read: (approx 33 Armoured Cars and 16 Half-tracks)

@Trevor L It is something Enzo sets up as he creates the gallery; I believe that they used to be the norm, but that was before I was active in GBs. There are a few reasons a poll hasn't been created: a) As a host, I find poll very difficult to set up correctly - I have, at least twice, tried to set one up, but on both occasions, I missed a build. One of those wasn't picked up until after voting had started. b) As far as I know, the forum software limits polls to 30 options. There are 49 builds in the gallery. This means we would need at least two polls. Given that this is an Armoured Car and Half-track GB, a natural split would be those two vehicle types (approx 23 Armoured Cars and 16 Half-tracks). Basically, as a host, I don't like setting up polls, because I get them embarrassingly wrong.

Heads up, We have less than four weeks to go before the start of this build